Highland council approves budgets and a series of land-use and capital items; votes at a glance

Highland City Council completed a sizable set of votes at its May 6 meeting, approving budgets, code updates and capital contracts that the council and staff said keep projects on schedule and address administrative changes required by recent state legislation.

Key votes at the meeting included the Lone Peak Public Safety District (PSD) tentative budget and Highland City’s tentative budget for fiscal 2025–26. Council members unanimously approved the Lone Peak PSD tentative budget (motion by Council member Kim; second by Council member Doug) and later approved the city’s tentative budget and scheduled a public hearing on the final budget for June.

On land use and code matters, the council voted unanimously to adopt updates to the city code to align with recent state law: an ordinance updating property boundary-adjustment procedures (approved 5–0), adoption of fire-code appendices into municipal code (5–0), classification/approval procedures for new business uses required by SB 179 (5–0 with adjusted time frames), and a broader set of land-use regulation updates required by HB 368 including new subdivision bonding rules (5–0). City attorney Rob Patterson briefed the council on the state-driven changes and staff said the updates were intended to comply with new statutory timelines and to clarify city procedures.

The council also awarded vendor and maintenance contracts: it authorized staff to negotiate and execute an agreement with Big T Recreation to replace the playground at Heritage Park (funds available from the parks tax allocation), approved the 2025 road-maintenance contracts (crack-sealing, overlays and reconstruction packages) and renewed a one-year solid-waste service agreement with Waste Management. Each contract vote passed unanimously.

Several council members probed the Lone Peak PSD tentative budget during discussion, pressing for detail on insurance cost increases and public-safety staffing. Public-safety leaders explained that insurance expenses rose across the shared pool and staffing and wage adjustments were intended to improve recruitment and retention. The PSD board had approved a 6% wage adjustment in its tentative budget; Highland’s council approved the tentative budget as presented.

The council also adopted an ordinance updating the city’s process for classifying and approving new business uses, setting administrative timelines (the council adjusted time frames to 45 days for certain hearings) and affirming that the council will hear requests to allow uses not expressly listed in commercial-zone tables.

Votes at a glance (selected items): - Lone Peak Public Safety District tentative budget (approved 5–0) - Highland City tentative budget and public hearing scheduling (approved 5–0) - Ordinance: Property boundary-adjustment regulations (approved 5–0) - Ordinance: Adoption of fire-code appendices (approved 5–0) - Ordinance: Classification and approval of new business uses (approved 5–0; time frames adjusted) - Ordinance: HB 368 land-use updates and subdivision-bonding changes (approved 5–0) - Playground vendor: Big T Recreation (authorization to negotiate and execute contract; approved 5–0) - 2025 Roads maintenance contracts (awarded to multiple contractors; approved 5–0) - Solid-waste contract renewal with Waste Management (1-year renewal; approved 5–0)

Councilmembers said they will monitor key items — especially the PSD budget and subdivision-bonding changes — as staff brings forward final figures and implementation steps.